Tony Blair will not be accused of breaking laws in Iraq War inquiry

Tony Blairwill not be accused of breaking any laws in the Iraq War inquiry report, the Telegraph can disclose.

Sources close to the inquiry said the report – which will be published in six weeks’ time - was not set up to take a view on the legality of the acts of individuals or events. That includes whether the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was legal.

The report will not make any judgements on the legality or anything like that because it is not the purpose of the report, the source said.

"Is he going to be tried for it, I don't know. Could he be tried for it? Possibly.”Jeremy Corbyn

The report instead looks at the decision making behind the conflict, the consequences and whether any lessons can be learned.

Mr Blair, who was Labour Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007, is likely to be pressed on his role over the Iraq conflict during a scheduled appearance on the Andrew Marr programme on BBC 1 today on Sunday.

Mr Corbyn said last August: “We went into a war that was catastrophic, that was illegal, that cost us a lot of money, that lost a lot of lives, and the consequences are still played out with migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, refugees all over the region.

Asked if Mr Blair should be charged with war crimes, Mr Corbyn went on: "If he's committed a war crime, yes. Everyone who's committed a war crime should be.

“I think it was an illegal war, I'm confident about that, indeed (former UN secretary general) Kofi Annan confirmed it was an illegal war, and therefore he has to explain to that.

"Is he going to be tried for it, I don't know. Could he be tried for it? Possibly.”

Mr Corbyn’s aides signalled last week that he stood by these comments.

The report – which will be 2.6million words long - is published on 6 July, with what is expected to be a substantial executive summary.

Families of servicemen who died in the conflict said they hoped that the report could form the evidence base for any future prosecution.

“I believe that those of us who voted along with the United States to go into Iraq did so on the evidence available at the time with the best intentions.”Lord Blunkett

Roger Bacon, who son Major Matthew Bacon, was killed in Basra in 2005, said the report was “not a legal enquiry so it does not have the force of law behind it in order to suggest anyone will be able to be prosecuted”.

But he added that once the report had been published “then they will have to make up their own minds and then pursue in whatever direction they need to go”.

Reg Keys, whose son 20-year-old son Lance Corporal Thomas Keys died in an ambush in Iraq in 2003, added he hoped Sir John’s inqury could suggest who was to blame.

He said: “I do understand that Sir John cannot apportion blame but I hope he may suggest blame.”

One of Mr Blair’s former ministers declined to say whether Mr Corbyn was right to say that Mr Blair could be prosecuted over any alleged failings over the Iraq War.

Lord Blunkett, who as David Blunkett served in Mr Blair’s Cabinet from 1997 to 2005, said: “I believe that those of us who voted along with the United States to go into Iraq did so on the evidence available at the time with the best intentions.”

The peer added, however, that he believed “the aftermath was a fiasco”.

Last week Mr Blair set out what could be his defence over any criticism in the Chilcot report.

He said: “We underestimated profoundly the forces that were at work in the region and that would take advantage once we toppled the regime. That's the lesson.

“There is a line today to say it would be better if these dictators stayed in power. I don't necessarily agree with that.”